Just When You Think You Have Fully Photographically Explored Your Area, You Find A Gem Of A Subject

Rushmere Inlet, Tyler's Beach , Isle of Wight County, Virginia (click to enlarge)
X-T1, 16-55mm f/2.8 lens @ 50mm; 1/600th sec. @ f/11; ISO 200

Living in the same region for the past 43 years and engaging in serious photography all of that time, going out on countless wanderings and photographic explorations, I would have thought that I knew every interesting photographic subject around.  Not so!  I was and continue to find interesting subjects that I didn't know existed.

The location in SE VA (from Google Earth®) where I found an interesting little spot to photograph. The Virginia Peninsula is to the right (east) of the James River, which is over 4 miles wide at this point.  Newport News is on the right and Isle of Wight County is to the west of the James River on the left.

A close-up of what I found using Google Earth®.  This view gave me the impetus to pay a visit and
see if this little inlet would produce some interesting images.  We need to use all the available
technology in order to locate new and interesting subject matter.

Earlier this year, I was using Google Earth® to look for places along the various bodies of water in my general area (I especially like to photograph where the water meets the land) and found a small inlet along the lower James River in which I could see had a few fishing boats moored along two piers. Isn't Google Earth® a wonderful resource?  I then made plans to visit this place to see what I could find to photograph.

X-t1, 10-24mm f/4 lens @ 10mm; 1/320th sec. @ f/8; ISO 200 (click to enlarge)

On a March morning, I drove over to this small inlet in an area of Isle of Wight County, Virginia called Rushmere (also Tyler's Beach) and found several working fishing boats as well as several half sunken boats moored along the two docks that extended from the shoreline.  I wandered around the area for a while and made some images.  Since the trees had not yet budded out with spring leaves, the images have that "winter" look.  I knew I wanted to return during the summer as the area would probably look significantly different.  Recently, I visited once more and made some additional images, which, indeed, have an entirely different look.  I plan to return again to look for any changes in the boats that are moored to the two small docks as well as any other changes that I may notice.

Black and white conversion in Lightroom CC (click to enlarge)
X-T1, 16-55mm f/2.8 lens @ 47mm; 1/480th sec. @ f/8; ISO 200

The point being, as much as I know about the region in which I live, I always seem to be surprised by new photographic finds.  I've learned I can't assume that I've found it all and photographed it all.  Additionally, things constantly change so don't hesitate to go back to a place you may have been numerous times.

Here are a few of the images I made of this tiny inlet with its few deadrise fishing boats as well as the small beach adjacent to the inlet.

I'll show several more in my next post.

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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